Faurie M P, Allorto N L, Aldous C, Clarke D L
Pietermaritzburg Metropolitan Complex, Edendale Hospital, Department of General Surgery, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, South Africa.
S Afr J Surg. 2015 Dec;53(3 and 4):48-50.
Burn injuries in South Africa result in significant morbidity and mortality, and specific vulnerable groups of patients are at increased risk of sustaining a burn injury. Epileptic patients are one such vulnerable group. The spectrum of burn injuries sustained by epileptic patients in a South African township and the pattern of injury, mechanism and outcome were reviewed in this study.
A retrospective review of all epileptic patients admitted to the burn service of Edendale Hospital was undertaken for the period July 2011 to June 2013.
One hundred and ninety-seven adult patients were admitted with burns over this period. There were 39 epileptic patients in this cohort, of whom 26 were female. The average age of the patients was 36 years (a range of 21-40 years). The majority of patients sustained a small total body surface area burn. The most common mechanism of burn was from a fire or flames, followed by hot water scalding. Coal or wood fires were the predominant energy source used for heating and cooking at home.
Epileptics comprise a significant proportion of patients who sustain a burn injury. Typically, they sustain burns during a seizure. These are mostly caused by open flames in the South African environment, and are deep. They tend to be confined to the upper torso, upper limbs and hands. Injury prevention programmes should target epileptics as a vulnerable group.
在南非，烧伤会导致严重的发病率和死亡率，特定的患者弱势群体遭受烧伤的风险更高。癫痫患者就是这样一个弱势群体。本研究回顾了南非一个城镇中癫痫患者所遭受的烧伤类型、损伤模式、机制及预后情况。
对2011年7月至2013年6月期间入住伊登代尔医院烧伤科的所有癫痫患者进行回顾性研究。
在此期间，有197名成年烧伤患者入院。该队列中有39名癫痫患者，其中26名是女性。患者的平均年龄为36岁（范围为21至40岁）。大多数患者全身烧伤面积较小。最常见的烧伤机制是火灾或火焰烧伤，其次是热水烫伤。煤火或木火是家庭取暖和做饭使用的主要能源。
癫痫患者在烧伤患者中占相当大的比例。通常，他们在癫痫发作期间遭受烧伤。在南非的环境中，这些烧伤大多由明火引起，且深度较深。烧伤往往局限于上半身、上肢和手部。预防损伤计划应将癫痫患者作为弱势群体的目标对象。
